Okra Gumbo Recipes

OKRA GUMBO

Steps:

• Saute' onion and peppers in margarine until tender.
• Add remaining ingredients including cooked chicken.
• Cook on low for about 2 hours to blend flavors.
• This can be served over steamed rice.

OKRA AND TOMATOES (A.K.A. OKRA GUMBO)

Steps:

• Fry bacon in a large skillet that can be covered, until crisp. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels. Saute onion in bacon drippings until tender. Add okra and tomatoes, stir to blend. Cover, reduce to low heat. Cook for about an hour, or until okra is tender, stirring occasionally. Do not stir too much or too briskly, because the okra will fall apart. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• **Note: Nanny diced the bacon and fried it and the onion together. My family doesn't like the bacon cooked into it because the bacon becomes soft. If you do it my way, you can sprinkle the bacon on right before serving.

SHRIMP AND OKRA GUMBO

Steps:

• Season the shrimp with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste and set aside. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the okra and saute for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato paste, tomato, onion, garlic, celery and green bell pepper and saute for 15 more minutes.
• Add the water and season to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the shrimp and simmer for 20 more minutes. Finally, add the green onion to the soup and stir thoroughly.

CHICKEN AND OKRA GUMBO

Steps:

• Place chicken and water in a large kettle. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until chicken is tender. , Remove chicken; reserve broth. Set chicken aside until cool enough to handle. Remove chicken from bones; discard bones and cut into meat into cubes; set aside. , In a soup kettle, combine oil or drippings and flour until smooth. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir about 5 minutes more or until mixture is reddish-brown (the color of a penny). Turn the heat to high. Stir in 2 cups reserved broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. , Add the onions, celery, green pepper and garlic; cook and stir for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, okra, bay leaves, basil, salt, pepper and pepper sauce. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add chicken; heat through., Discard bay leaves. Garnish with green onions and parsley. Serve with rice.

OKRA GUMBO

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, chili, cumin and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly browned, about 4 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes with juices, the sugar and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, then add the okra. Cover, reduce to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the okra is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with the scallions and with hot sauce on the side.

OKRA GUMBO

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, onion, and green bell pepper, and saute until tender. Stir in okra, mushrooms, diced tomatoes and their liquid, tomato paste, file powder, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 40 minutes.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stirring constantly, add flour, and cook 2 to 5 minutes, until a golden brown roux has formed.
• Spoon the roux into the okra mixture, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes, until thickened.

GUMBO

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat the oil. Fry the okra, stirring constantly, for 10 to 12 minutes or until most of the slime disappears. Season with Essence. Add the tomatoes, onions, and celery, stirring occasionally, cook for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are wilted. Season with salt and cayenne. Add the bay leaves, thyme, garlic and water. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for 30 minutes. Serve with rice and garnish with green onions and Essence.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

OKRA SHRIMP GUMBO

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat the stock and keep warm.
• In a large pot over medium heat, add the oil and onions and saute, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Add a little hot stock if needed to avoid burning and to keep the onions soft.
• Add the salted pork and ham and cook for 10 minutes. Add the garlic, celery, bell pepper and 1 cup stock and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the mild and hot smoked sausages and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the remaining stock and the Slow Cooker Smothered Okra and cook until thickened slightly, 15 minutes. Stir in the shrimp, parsley and green onions and add salt and red pepper to taste. Cook another 5 to 8 minutes, then turn off the heat and stir in the crab.
• Combine the okra and oil in a slow cooker and stir well. Cover and cook on high until tender, 3 to 4 hours. Stores well in ziptop bags in the freezer.

SEAFOOD OKRA GUMBO

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pot over high heat, add onions, celery and bell peppers, and saute 1 minute. Season with salt and 4 turns of pepper and saute 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and shallots, and saute, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes more.
• Stir in stock, then add fish, Worcestershire, hot sauce, bay leaves, basil, oregano and thyme, and bring to a boil. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium.
• Stir in shrimp, okra and Creole seasoning, and simmer 10 minutes. Fold in oysters and crabmeat and simmer 5 minutes more. Skim the impurities from the top of the gumbo, turn the heat to high and boil vigorously 5 minutes. Slowly sprinkle in the file, stirring to incorporate thoroughly, and cook, stirring, 2 minutes more.
• To serve, ladle gumbo into bowls or soup plates, add rice and sprinkle with green onions.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William Morrow, 1993.

EASY GUMBO (OKRA SOUP)

Steps:

• Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until slightly softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in grape tomatoes; cook until they begin to release their juices, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and crushed tomatoes. Cover and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
• Remove saucepan from heat. Add water, okra pods, red pepper flakes, chicken bouillon, salt, and curry powder.
• Return saucepan to medium heat; simmer soup for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in shredded chicken. Simmer until okra is soft and chicken is heated through, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes.